THE MIMS LETTERS ~ Page 2
FROM DR. SAMUEL A. MIMS TO HIS
BROTHER JAMES S. MIMS (9 letters)
(1)
Dancyville, Tenn
March13th 1849
Dear Brother,
As Harriet has left our house and you will not have an opertunity of hearing from me I have concluded to drop you a few lines I came from (Sportry ?) to McMinnville there I heard that the Colora was at Nashville and Murfresboro and that one man died between Sporty and McMinnville so I came from McMinn to Shelbyville then to Lewisburg then Linville then to Wanesboro and hear let me tell you that five miles before I got to Wanesboro I was attacted with Colora and suffered a great deal though I saw noone that had it nor hird of noone neared than Savannia I then came to Savannia then Balover and arrived here on the 28th of February making five weeks on the road we had verry disagreeable weather it snowed six times on us the roads were miserable after I got hear I bought Parks Waggon and paid him post with a horse he left for Misisipa I have rented land from Nolen and a house in the village it is about 1/4 of a mile from Nolens house.
The lands are fine hear it seemes to be healthy as far I can see from the looks of the place the people are neighborly though not very intelagent they have a large church at this place the preachers hear are verry ignorent for preachers though there is lotts of them sutch as they are
All most eavery thing here is as cheap as in S.C. and a great many things a great deal cheaper I would not giv 1 acre of this land for five of the Institutions land for me to keep though the place is not all Mr Nolens said it was though it is verry fine to what I have been youse to seeing the best land I hav seen is in middle Tennissee they told me it sold for $30.00 per acre.
Mr. Nolen ast me to giv his Respects to you and also told me to say that you must sue John R Shearly if he does not pey his note before next Court he says doo all you can to get all the money you can for him before Harriett comes out He allso said he was expecting a letter from you
I comenced House Keaping yesterday I find it drye all reddy with our
Harriett in the House Keaping wey. Remember me to Sister and your dear little children
I am as ever your
Brother
Saml A. Mims
(2)
Dancyville, Tenn
July 30th, 1849
Dear Brother,
I find that time has past very seifty since I got back to Tennessee owing to the pressence of Harriet and our little boy. They are enough to make the cabin of any poor fellow a pallace.
We have been here now for five weeks. Corn crops are fine. I would not take 75 bbles for my crop and let a man gatter and house it for me, for all that will be over.
Cotton is said to be poor because of all the rains we have had, It has averaged a rain every other day since the first of March last, though the cotton is large enough and I have never seen it so well squared in my life. If the weather should be favorable from now out with a late fall I will make 12 or 14 hundred pounds to the acre of seed cotton.
We had a tolerable pleasent trip out with the exception of Harriett having an attack of Colora Morbus at Atlanta. She and Jimmy has been very healthy since that time. There is very little sickness in this country at this time and ever since I returned.
Well Bro, if you can in any way without discomodeing your-self loan me the $50.00 I spoke to you about, you will add to the many favours you have already confered on your unworthy brother. One more lasting one, please make it as early in August as you can for my note will be due in the Bank early in September.
Harriett says she intended to write to sister this week, but as I have commenced she would not before next week. So sister may look for an epistle from her soon. She has done nothing else but think and dream of her for a week past.
The Methodist are to have a four or forty days meeting here commencing on Saturday next and on Sunday one of their stricken "one" agoing to attempt to preach expresident Polks funeral. I suppose I will hear it as there will be no preaching at the Baptist church on that day. It not being our day for preaching.
Politics are all the talk in this country at this time. Our election will come off on Thursday next. We will elect a governer, congressman and repsentative to state legistration. So by the last of the week we will have nothing to talk about and turn over a new leaf again, go to work and let other folks business a lone. There is no a single candidate that (threats ?) or drinks himself or has any lese to treat for him.
I will close as you see I am entirely out of news at present Harriett joins me in sending love to all. Jimmy is sleep and I didnot ask him what word he would send to his cousin. Suppose he will ocupy a sheet in his mothers letter next week but enough my brother. May God still continue his blessings to you and yours is my prayer.
Samuel A. Mims
(3)
Dancyville Sept 25, 1849
Haywood Co. Tenn
Dear Brother,
Yours of Aug 25 came to hand two weeks since and two days later than the check. I would
have answered it last week but not
the time as I was at the Grannying of four children between the hours of 10 PM
Monday and 11 PM Thursday. Esqr Campbell's wife had twins, Mrs Nolen had but one and that
was a girl, the other was a Negro. Well nothing but squalling weather would have kept me
from witnessing. There has been between 25 and 30 children born in ten miles square around
this place in the past four weeks, but we are about through now for a while. I know but
four women that are looking out nightly now. Look here, you tell wm Boyd to bring his wife
out here and she will breed certain or any other barren woman of your acquaintance. There
was an old woman in the river bottom had a child in her 58 year.
Well the check was in due time and you have added one more to the many favors you have previously bestowed, for all of which I_____________ I will remember as long as I continue to breathe.
We were glad to hear Sister was doing so well and the little boy, Have you found a name for hime, be careful not to load him down with many names, be patient and you will have use for all the names you will have at your command, you know that harriett would have wanted half the old family names if we had stayed in S.C., but in this prolific country we must have more but enough.
Was sorry to hear of Becky's miss hap. Perhaps you had better give her Dick Overbys
proscription di her a puke?
Prehaps it would be all the debetter ? , _________ said when he
kind of Beckey's acedent, it never done a negroš any good to get rich, caouse they can't
have things like white folks no how. It will turn dem fool and they git killed. The boal
worm are boaring and spoiling a great deel of cotton out here. Corn will not be worth more
than a dollar per Bbl if that this fall with us. Can't we ride fat horses?
Well I can't tall you all of Jimmys little tricks. He has seven teeth and three others nearly out. Can push a chair all over the house but cant walk alone yet. I may say that He is well of the eruptions now and has been ever since we got out here the pimples come out when he is teething but don't get sore. He is a fat lively ? boy and Harriet says she is not ashamed to exhibit him in any oroud of boys, so you had better be careful in your next how you speak of your little one? for if she were to write she would tell of his whistling, talking and spiting & many other things you know that no one but a woman could thing of, enough.
This country has been very healthy this summer. No news but protractive meetings and revivals in every direction, too tedious to talk about, could not tell you half about them in a week
Brother Nolen says get all the money you can out of Shearly Van and Rolings and send it on in a check on New York. We are all well, Harriet joins me in love to all. May you and your labours be blest.
Your brother
Samuel A. Mims
(4)
Dancyville
Haywood County Tenn
May 5th 1851
Dear Brother
Yours of the 14th last month came to hand today. I was sorry to hear that Samuel has
had inesiphalus. My family and all about & that is all that can be said.
Harriett has been sitting as much as her strength will admit of since last Friday. She was
confined ten or eleven days to bead with Typhus fever. I have had more sickness in my
family since January than I have had before evor since I have had a family. First elison
was sick had_____________ then myself. I went to bead, sejinbed 2 or 3 times moaning,
growning, and lementing when I was called off. My calls multeplyed and increased so that I
had not an opertunity to go to bead until I had forgot all about my grunting. Both
of the children was then taked with a broncial affection. Jimmy I thought passed all hope
for 2 days. The little boy was very low. James was then taken with Typus fevor, lingured
for 10 days. You before this have received a letter from Dr. Rowlings and sister have had
one from Harriett giving you the details in full of his sickness, colmnys resignation to
Gauds will, his prospect for eternity and death. It would be needless for me to say more
but I will say that I was inusially calm during his whole sickness. I am farr from
subscribing to all death bead convertions that we meet with and I hear of but I am
satisfied that our loss is his gain. Rev. Bros Coffee & Nolen both conversd with him
for some hours before his death and he gave them and many others perfect satisfaction. As
James drew his last breath Bro Coffee eseclaimed by the course of nature that will soon be
my lott. I am now old, I have witnessed a great many deaths. I have followed 8 of my
own children and wife to the grave but never have I seen one dye like my young friend
did so perfectly in his senses, consious of the great change that has now taken
place with him. He continued for a few minutes in a breaf escortation and closed by
imploring Gods blesings on the bereaved relatives.Both with him and those that was
seperated in the old States may they all dye as he did calm and in their rite mind when it
is Gods will to call them hense. Sayes he, I am reddy to go hense at thy will but ask this
one thing that I may dye in my purfect sensis and be calm and resined to the change in my
last moments as Mr McIver was and it is all I ask". There was some 25 persons
present purfectly melted down in tears during his short discourse. There was not one
present that did not show his or her feelings. We feel our loss a great deal more that I
would have thought we would have done. He was a very agreeable, moreso than I thought he
would have been. He was agreat deal of confort for me and more for Harriet. During my
absence of nights he seemed to take a great deal of pleasure inassisting his sister with
the children and doing anything that either of us wanted done.
If he mearly thought we wished anything that he could do he was ready and willing. In
other words, he made himself perfectly at holm and easey and appeared to be
satisfied with us He had a much better mind than I thought he had. He had made the most
rapid progress in the study of medicin that ever than I ever new a young man to do
in the same length of time. I have met with worse phisisians in the practice of
mediciane than he was at his death. Jimmy frequently says uncle deams donn church.
Jimmy is a very good boy, has a fine disposistion, very umble obediant child. He
carried his humilaty so far a few days ago as to say pleas to a dog. He had his little
brother's whistle in the yard a few days hense and droped it down. In a short time he
missed it. He then stretched his hand out and said pleas my pup give me buddys whistle.
Did not stop with asking once but repeated again and again. We have added Roderic to our
babeys name since Jamesis death as he wanted him called Roderic Evander. We now call
him Roderic though sine his name Samuel R.E. I have been very much engaged in my
profession this year. I think I have booked about $100.00 per month this year though I
have had a great deal of sickness holm. Would have had more if my leaving holm would have
been admissable.I am glad to hear that you are so well please with your new holm and that
and the institution is now where it is a posable thing for it to prosper for I am sirtain
that I could not wold not while so near
---------- & others not worth mentioning now. I suppose that you did fairwell to
the neighbourhood without for the first time wishing to see them all over again
though there was a few but very few kind clevor good sitisans there. We all have our
tryals and difaculties in this world. It is a world of trouble. We have a roughf set
here. they are made up part parsles from almost every part of the Union and now but little
else but to cheat to get the best end of a trade but the are improving greatly to what it
was when I first came out. We now have a female school with 65 schollers in our town and a
male one with 35 and 15 or 18 hundred dollors subscriber to build a male acadamy which
will be built by January next and filled with competent teachers.
My practice is improving now very fast and I bid fair I mite say to have more than I can
do.The practice of medicin in the country is very laborious. A man cant imadgian the
diference who has not tried it both in town and country. I would have rote oftener than I
have but have not had the time to do it and have almost forgot how or what to write. We
have nothing worth your attention. Bro Nolen requested me to ask you to send those notes
out to me I left with you aganst Rollings and Vann and one aganst Shurly to Mrs Smith for
$5.00. Also when you write let us know whether Samuel has Inesiphalus jenerally of the
whole systim or of what part of his body and limbs. Write soon Harriet joins me in love to
all
Your Brother
Saml a Mims
(5)
Dancyville, Tenn
Sept 15th 1851
Dear Brother
I received your letter some two weeks since & would hav answered it before now but hav been so buisey that I hav not had time. I hav forgot almost all you interogations as I got threw reading your letter Jimmy asked me to let him see uncles letter I handid it to him sit down to dinner as soon as I got threw eating I left to see a patient and it is the last I hav seen it. But in the first place I think this as healrhey a spot as I have ever lived on, it is a place to make money and spend it too. We are made up of Virginions both of the Carolineans & middle Tenniseians & other states, nearley every man is for himself in trading, they are sharpers indeed, I hav moore strange friends hear than I eaver had before in any place I feel less like leaving this place than any place I hav eaver lived at, my expecttations at this time is to remain hear as long as I liv be it long or short.
My children are as large fine looking Boys as you eavor saw Jimmy has had one spell of sickness since he came out here Roderic has had one attact of cold or catoral fevour, Harriett has had typhus fevour. Jamesis sickness & Death is all the sickness I hav had in my family since here I have been, it is true I hav had Pyle Head Ache and one chill that kept me in bead two or three hours. My practice this year will be worth from 1500 to 2000 dollors. We have five Dockters or woodbees in our little town & it is said by one of them and others that nows I have done more practice thean the five others has, my practice last month was worth $244.19 this month up to tonight $120.00 and I am called every week in anew family & when I get in one they generally stick, the people are all good for their accounts out hear that is $90 out of $100 can be collected, infact the people out hear think ther is no youse of them dyeing if they can get me to see them while they are breathing & I don't tell them any better, I hav not lost a single patient in five months & in that time my practice has been worth over eight hundred dollors it has been in fact a cure all thing with me. These things I don't say boastungly the lord has seen fitt to bless my labours for whitch I trust I am trueley thankfull. My beeing away from conections and friends has made me a better cristian than I was before I came hear & has prooved a blessing to my imortal sole, I feel that I am growing in grace dayley that I hav a new experience that I might relate every night.
To hav you and the ballants of my dear relations hear with me would be more than grattifying you cold doo as well hear in a worldley point as you can in S.C. and in a spiruital wey. Come out & see for your self dont take my work for it, write to Father & say to him if he will sell his land and come out here I will giv him my farm in his and mothers lifetime & take care of them in their old age. I hav about one hundred acers cleared land that will bring from 25 to 50 bushels of corn per acer I hav not wrote to him in two years & he has not wrote to me since I left S.C. I hav not a moment of leasure these days hardley to write letters on buisness it is alweys gratifying to me to hear from you I am glad you are so well pleased at Greenville & think you might be better pleased hear, we are havving religious debates threw our western country on Baptism & soforth. Bro Nolen has baptised even Methodist this year & has one more to baptise next church meeting. Out church has increased about fifteen this year.
Nolen has returned from Arcansis satisfied to remain hear how long I now not he is considered hear a man of tallent is much smarter than I thought him in S.C.
My family is are all well & join me in love to you sister & to the children. Jimmy often says I want to see cosin Sammy Roderic can crall get up by a chaire & walk all around it jabbers mightley he is the best looking smart child you ever saw, though it is well you neaver saw him for I now you would be dissatisfied with yout bratts after seeing him.
Escuse hast
Your brother
Saml A. Mims